robyng

The Greenbrier has had extensive renovations in recent years. OTOH - its recent economic history has been somewhat rocky:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...assic/2432285/

I don't know what it's like today (my only trip there was ages ago - we took my late inlaws there as a retirement gift) - but I'd check it out as a possible - keeping in mind that the hotel is a convention/group meeting destination.

The Greenbrier is a fair distance away from - and has a different climate than - the other areas you mentioned. The Greenbrier is more of a summer destination. High season at the others is spring.

Before planning a trip to any property like this - I'd check out its current economic situation. A lot of these properties have had financial problems. Some apparently have dealt with them successfully (like the Cloister) - but others haven't. A fair number of these properties are "golf-centric" - and golf is having its issues these days.

I highly recommend Charleston. And staying at a nearby oceanfront place (like Kiawah Island) is an option there too for someone who craves a beach/a golf course. I recommend 3 nights/2 days minimum for a first time visitor - and staying downtown - if only because there are so many good restaurants to explore there. I didn't find Charleston Place especially luxurious when I stayed there - but I suppose most people would call it a luxury hotel. There are smaller boutique hotels downtown that might be better alternatives.

Savannah - well I'm so-so about that - especially compared with Charleston.

Two places worthy of consideration in that part of the world are Jekyll Island (Jekyll Island Club) and the Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island (accessible only by boat and the place where the late JFK Jr. got married). Neither is a luxury property IMO - but both places are of historical interest and offer glimpses into old time "low country" life.

If one wants a longer trip - I'd swing through the Florida panhandle (not much in the way of luxury there - but there are rental opportunities in places like Seaside) - and then head for New Orleans.

If a traveler isn't interested in golf - then this is a spring flower trip IMO. And I'd start south (like in New Orleans) and end in the north - follow the blooms as they open. Might even end up in Atlanta (a good city and overlooked destination IMO). It has great flights to/from everywhere - busiest airport in the world. Might even start there too - and make a loop. Robyn

P.S. The Greenbrier renovations in 2007 got quite a bit of buzz in the design world. E.g.:

http://parishotelboutique.blogspot.c...reenbrier.html

pricesquire

Couldn't agree more. That said, a LOT of people love the Charleston Place. I think it helps they have a pool + one of the best spas in the Southeast US.

Charleston has to have one of the highest concentrations of luxury hotels per downtown, anywhere. And the boutique hotels there are absolute gems. Zero George is one of my top 5 hotels, globally.

Savannah is so-so compared to Charleston, if you're a Southeastern US resident whose been to both many times. Otherwise, I think your average first time visitor would adore the old-south vibe.

EDIT:

1) I think Nola would be a great addition to a Southeast road trip, but the Panhandle is an absolute bore.

2) I'd be less concerned with heat. Asheville area is cool year round. Atlanta you'd be hopping from an air conditioned hotel to an air conditioned car to an air conditioned restaurant/shop/etc. If you hug the coast and make use of the beach [and the ocean breeze], even if the thermostat reads 96 degrees outside, it'll feel considerably less.

offerendum

If you skip Santa Fe and fly in Denver and out LAS it`s a little shorter

Musken

Thank you so much everybody. I will need to plot your different proposal in maps and look at all the hotels to get a better idea of what we want - and try to figure out if three weeks holidays is really possible for my husband also next summer. Loved it this year, it feels like soooo long compared to two, but I guess we need to be realistic saying it is not possible every year.

Regarding wether or not I have to include an Aman: Would be nice (it would be our 17th...), but not a must, depends on the other hotels we would be able to stay in, I guess, and how long an extra drive it would mean as well plus a lot of other things.

Regarding what I called "nice summer weather" I can add that for us this means as little rain as possible and temperatures above 25 celcius (77 fahrenheit), preferably below 33 celcius (110 fahrenheit), but we could live with higher as well as long as it is not all the time and there is a pool close by.

aa213bb

A someone who's done many US road-trips (I've been to every state, and most several times), I highly recommend this as a way to travel the US. Three weeks is a nice amount of time; I just spent 7 weeks on a massive road-trip, and it was magnificent (though no luxury properties to speak of, unless you count the family pile back in Louisiana).

I will say, while "tent-poling" your trip with Luxury properties is wonderful, do know if you only aim to stay in luxury (or even just "nice") properties, you stand a good chance of missing out on many beautiful experiences/spots in this country.

To bring it back to this thread and your specific questions, more of the SW seems to serve the trick. New Mexico is a STUNNING state, with amazing regional cuisine. Santa Fe is HIGHLY recommended … and you've everything from Rosewood to FS there.

I also very much recommend getting the $80 annual pass for National Parks, and stopping at many of the stunningly beautiful ones this country has to offer.

Kagehitokiri

FS santa fe is owned by giri/gani owner, with same provider onsite at both giri and FS
recently regarding FS santa fe: http://www.adventurepartners.com/ap-...enture-center/

in park city (near SLC) anyone heard anything about washington school house? 12 rooms, pool, guest-only dining.

IIRC actually traveling by boat is possible in some areas, not sure where

thoughts here on gouldings lodge (especially houses) in monument valley?

worth looking at rest of FT for routes and discussion of parks/sites, can PM original posters

robyng

I've never stayed at Enchantment - but we went to Sedona our last trip to Scottsdale (my brother lives in Scottsdale) - and had brunch at Enchantment. We weren't impressed with the brunch or what we saw of the public parts of the property. Perhaps the rooms are better. The rocks are - of course - pretty spectacular - as they are elsewhere in the SW.

One "great rocks places" in that part of the world that doesn't get much attention is Arches National Park in Utah.

One problem with the SW for a summer trip is a lot of it is "high desert". Even hotter than the SE during the day. High temps in excess of 100 degrees - even at a place like Arches:

http://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/weather.htm

Also - in the late summer - you run into "monsoon season". Violent huge rain storms that can wreak havoc in desert areas:

http://www.abc15.com/news/region-sou...hrough-phoenix

We've been there in summer. To visit my brother. Because it costs like $140/night in August at the FS - and $1400/night in high season (not much of an exaggeration - if any). But the area is cheap in low season for a reason - the weather is lousy. Robyn

robyng

If it's 96 here with a breeze - what does it feel like - 95 <LOL>? FWIW - areas right at the beach can be 3-4 degrees cooler than those just a little inland - but you're still talking high 80's absolute minimum - usually low 90's.

Just about everyone I know buys the Asheville story - but it will be close to 90 this week - even with lots of rain.

I'd never recommend a vacation to the SE in the summer for most people. Unless they want to go to the beach - go diving - perhaps go fishing. Stuff very near - in - or on the water. Or spend all of their time inside. Robyn

Kagehitokiri

robyng, some of us prefer 120F 0 humidity (sauna) to 100% humidity with lower temperatures (steamroom)
places like DC can get pretty humid, so escaping humidity works for me, regardless of any high temperatures
some of us do low season deals, like $500 for 3BR house with pool/garage/tennis court at sanctuary scottsdale

xracer

This is not really true. Places that are true high desert tend to have more moderate temperatures in summer (because of the elevation). For example, Santa Fe has very nice summer weather temps.

July - September can bring some monsoon weather. But this isn't the Indian monsoon - mostly it means occasional thunderstorms in the late afternoons and evenings. Yes, there can be stronger storms and years when the rains are heavier, but this is certainly not the norm.

Certainly some areas are very inexpensive in the summer, but not all. Summer is high season (with high season rates) in Santa Fe, for example.

I think that it would be a shame to skip Santa Fe, which is one of the most unique (and oldest) cities in America (although full disclosure: I'm not impartial here as I am having a house built in the area and plan to relocate there at some point).

xracer

I completely agree with this. I'd rather have 100 and dry than 90 with oppressive humidity. Atlanta/Savannah/Charleston/anywhere in Florida in the summer: no thanks.

Centurion

Recently received a fancy mailing from Bentley Auto that had several Luxury road trips that included hotel, restaurant and stops. The invitation included a web login where you could print out google map etc that included drive times. etc. They had about have a dozen trips you could take around the world. The only one I remember was similar to OP and started in San Francisco stopped at a luxury lodge upper north west California and on to MO in Vegas and than Utah....

KatW

Perhaps of interest: higher-end road trips in the U.S. http://www.westernoriental.com/count...es-fly-drives/

Kagehitokiri

re bentley, saw group of owners at castle hill inn (R&C)

http://www.relaischateaux.com/en/Route-du-Bonheur/
has 6 US and 2 CA (plus another 55 around the world)

5khours

Musken, how about something with backpacking, a raft trip or a dude ranch. I think you'd have a gas. I once did a week long trip down the Salmon River followed by some R&R in Sun Valley. You can't believe how nice a luxury hotel feels after a few days roughing it out in nature.

Seattle is pretty nice in the summer and the FS is decent.

You might also want to think about a combined air/road trip. That would give you a lot more flexibility.

Also keep in mind that Yosemite and some of the other big name National Parks are very crowded in the summer. Even in the back country.

And BTW... I think you would be disappointed with most of the East Coast resorts.